Through Pirate Ages
by LittleRuky
Summary: Legends say it was an island lost in time and things usually went different there. But no one told Ace that he would end up meeting his brothers and a couple of other curious characters from basically different eras. Now the poor flame user has to figure out whether an all out war near the shore or meeting your past and future self is the worse deal. Poor Shanks.


Ace glared at the people bustling around the large expanse of a plaza, trying his best to put up his toughest face. He had to look cool during their short stay here.

"Stop doing that, you look constipated yoi." Marco's bored comment made his face go red and he turned to glare at the laughing group behind him.

The fire user was just about to tell the blonde some chosen words when his father's laughter broke through the roaring sound of the crowd. Eyes blinking, he asked the first thing that entered his mind.

"Eh, the old man is coming too?"

The first division commander rolled his eyes at the stupid question.

"Obviously."

Edward Newgate looked at his sons and released another bark of laughter when he saw one of his youngest throw him a perplexed look.

"What, can't this old man get off his ship sometimes?"

Ace cringed at the question, obviously berating himself for asking such a stupid thing. Whitebeard shook his head in amusement.

"We are here to resupply, remember that. Try to not have too much fun."

Everyone nodded and the group split up, but Ace somehow found himself going along with his captain and his blonde haired friend, who looked too bored to be bothered.

"You should take a look around too, Ace." The older man spoke, his voice strangely at a normal volume and not booming like always.

Ace looked up at him and then back in front of them. He wasn't so sure about that suggestion.

"You know what this island is, right?" Marco's eyebrow was raised as he looked at him.

The second division commander scowled. "Of course I know, I'm not an idiot." He mumbled.

"Heh, could've fooled me." The phoenix man smirked and Whitebeard laughed loudly again, which made Ace even more embarrassed, _somehow_.

"This island," Marco explained anyway, "is named Tokiya Archipelago and is more like a conglomerate of small islands, all so close, they almost merged into one. But because of their fundamentally different Magnetic Fields, they created a special one that should be even naturally impossible to exist. Listen up, Ace." The blond looked at his comrade with serious eyes, for once.

"This archipelago is where the axes of time and space intersect one another. They stand at the edge of time and space itself. People from all eras gather here, selling and buying, doing trade of all kind based on their time's specific things. You should be careful wherever you go. You never know who you might meet yoi."

" _Gurara_ , stop scaring the kid Marco." The older pirate chuckled. "You do whatever you want Ace." Weathered eyes gazed into young ones. "It's your choice who you meet and who not. Besides, whatever happens on this island remains on this island. That's the motto here."

Well, that was something new. Ace certainly liked this island more now.

Nodding his head, he said. "Got it, old man. I'm just gonna hang around for a while before I go exploring."

Captain and commander nodded and the trio continued on their way. Ace tried to think of all the people he could meet, but a small side of him didn't want to. He was not sure he wanted to see how the future was, or how the people in that future changed. His mind went immediately to Luffy and the older brother was torn between the hope of meeting him and the hope of not.

 _Strange feeling._

* * *

It did not take long for something to happen.

Ace's eyes were studying the numerous stalls near the port with curiosity, all selling different kind of objects ranging from all domains and uses. There were some strange ones that the fire user had never seen, but his attention was drawn to a commotion near the large building overshadowing the exit towards the center of the city.

A crowd of people had gathered there, all awed faces and gleeful smiles. Laughter erupted from the group, causing Ace to become even more curious.

Whitebeard's booming voice almost made him jump.

"A pleasure to meet you again, old friend."

From between the gathered people, a bark of laughter erupted again and the crowd parted to reveal a man in his mid thirties, wearing a long, red pirate coat. His moustache was a most definite trait that gave him away to Ace immediately and the pirate froze in place, his heart starting to beat wildly in his chest.

 _It couldn't be..._

From all the people that he could've met, it had to be _him_.

Gol D. Roger's grin grew the closer he got to his old rival. His keen eyes locked for a moment with Ace's own wide ones before their attention went to the larger man.

"From the future, huh? It's good to see you're still alive." He chuckled good-naturedly.

"I see you are still unchanged." Whitebeard commented.

"Well, I come from the past after all."

The notorious pirates shared a good laugh over their conversation.

Marco shook his head and directed his attention to the nearby food stall.

Ace's fists were clenched so tightly, they were almost bleeding. Mouth pressed in a tight line, the fire user cleared his throat, hoping his voice would not give him away.

"Pops, I'm going ahead."

He did not wait for his captain's nod. Turning on his heels, the fire user marched along the granite shore, his eyes only looking forward.

Whitebeard watched his son's stiff back and stifled a snort. That boy could be so simpleminded sometimes. Fate and time had given him a chance and he was wasting it.

Oh well, whatever worked. Whitebeard would not impose him anything. If the boy was uncertain now, he'll have some time to think about it.

* * *

Ace returned to study a particular stall that displayed the strangest fruits he had ever seen. However much he tried, he couldn't associate them with any known fruit from his time.

"'Scuse me, what's this?" He looked on as the old man at the stall smiled at him.

"These are artificially produced fruits. They're from the future. I have been told they were made with a certain SAD substance that was once used in the SMILE factory..." The man trailed off, scratching his chin obviously confused as well.

Not really understanding it, Ace nodded anyway. He wasn't here to buy anything.

"Did you see? The Pirate King is here." The pirate saw two men walk by him, one of them talking with a worried expression on his face.

"Yeah, I'm kind of concerned about that." His companion shook his head. "If the rumors are true, then he's gonna be here soon too..."

"Did you hear?" The first one interrupted again with another version of his earlier question. "They say that the Revolutionaries have been seen as well."

"What!" The other guy almost yelled. "Shit and it was such a nice day."

Ace stopped himself from following them when their conversation lost his interest. He took another look at the two and concluded they must have been pirates, though he'd never seen them before.

The Devil Fruit user had learned quite a few things from his stalking. Something interesting might happen soon and the raven head couldn't wait to see what.

Turning around, he redirected his footsteps along the line of stalls, searching for the best place to watch from.

If something was going to happen, then Ace wanted a good seat.

* * *

Whitebeard looked around the large plaza filled with stalls, though his mind was on his earlier conversation with his friend. Next to him, Roger was also studying the place, arms crossed. They stood in the shadow of one of the large archway entrances, bypassed by all kinds of people, all saying the same thing.

 _"They are coming!"_

 _"Is that the Pirate King?"_

 _"No way, is that-"_

 _"Then, who's coming..."_

"Something will happen soon." Whitebeard muttered, his eyes scanning the blue horizon.

Roger almost rolled his eyes, but a smirk made its way on his face.

"No way, how did you get to that conclusion my friend?"

"By the way, I haven't seen Rayleigh around." The taller pirate ignored the question and looked around them pointedly.

"Ah." Roger did not look too concerned. "He was stuck with babysitting the cabin boys and I escaped with my life. I'm sure he's around hunting for my head."

The man spoke matter-of-factly and Whitebeard could only shake his head. This man made him feel too nostalgic.

* * *

Shanks looked around at the bustling island and allowed a rare smile to cross his face.

Finally back in the Grand Line. He had really missed it, too much time has passed.

His mind briefly stopped on the face of a certain seven year old boy back in East Blue and his smile doubled. That Luffy they left behind only a few months ago in their time will do just fine on his own, and despite the boy's tears, he had a strong will to live and that was one of the most important things in this world.

 _"One day, I'll have a ship and a crew better than yours! And we'll have the biggest hoard of treasure in the world! And I'll become the King of the Pirates!"_

Ben Beckman eyed his grinning captain and sighed tiredly. The man was truly a handful in the best of days. The First Mate dreaded what was to come and their journey through the Grand Line had just begun.

Shanks had been adamant they dock on Tokiya when it appeared in their way after Reverse Mountain. The island was so rare seen and could appear virtually anywhere in the world that such occasion could not be bypassed.

Looking at the piece of paper they had received when they docked, Ben studied the writing carefully, assessing every piece of information they might need.

 _Unlike his captain._

The red head was already on his way to Meer Plaza, one of the most popular docking places for important ships and rift through time-space, acting as a trade center that virtually sold anything from every decade.

The black haired pirate took a moment to light himself a cigarette. Such supernatural islands should stay hidden, in his humble opinion.

 _"Somebody from the future is coming. This is big!"_

The shout attracted his attention immediately. Despite his captain's gradually disappearing back, Ben stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the crowd where the voice had come from before his eyes went again to the paper.

Since Tokiya was outside normal space-time coordinates, it had its own time measuring system.

 _Someone from the future means..._

"Ten years or more from the present here. That means... some 16 years in the future in our time." The pirate scratched his chin thoughtfully.

He did not have any more time to think about it because Shanks was back.

"Benny you almost gave me a heart attack there. I thought you've left me all alone!" The red head said dramatically, laughing at his own joke.

Ben rolled his eyes. Placing a hand on the other's shoulder, he directed the man towards their destination.

"Come now cap'. I heard there's something interesting going on."

"See? I knew that we totally had to dock here! Uhm, where did you..."

* * *

Rayleigh's eyes were narrowed on the back of his captain, his glare scorching. His fists were clenched in the back of their poor cabin boys' shirts, both of them trying their best to not cringe at the sheer fury the First Mate exuded.

Sensing an explosion about to break out behind him, Roger turned his head around slowly.

When he saw them, the man grinned, a little sheepishly, and scratched the back of his head, an action which made the trio glare harder at him.

Whitebeard laughed. "You certainly are young, you three."

Ignoring the man, Shanks and Buggy continued to throw dirty looks towards their captain.

Rayleigh nodded in greeting.

"I don't doubt I get older, considering the man standing next to you and his stupid ideas. I'd have to be as reckless as him to even consider going along with his plans."

Roger opened his mouth to retort, but a sudden shrill tore through the air. Everyone in the plaza stopped in their tracks, the chatter interrupting almost as abruptly.

Every pair of eyes was pointed to the observation tower a few meters away near the water.

"Ship ahoy!"

Following the words, whispering and shouting broke out across the big plaza, every person present confused.

"If they are docking here, then they have some nerve." Rayleigh mumbled, stepping closer to the two captains and dragging the two unwilling boys behind him.

* * *

Ace looked on, confused why everyone was so desperate. His eyes spotted a few shadows on the distant horizon, meaning the earlier shout was not a joke.

But the fire user had to snort when he heard the theories the people around him were making.

 _What the fuck, a war?_

Deciding to ignore the idiots in the neighboring area, the pirate made his way back closer to the center of the plaza and the place he left the old man with... his dad.

 _Damn I never thought I would say this._

He hoped he'd never have to again.

Eyes searching for the large form of his captain, he finally spotted him near the archway standing next to Roger. Ace was about to go join them, past grudges be damned, before his feet stopped as he saw the new additions to their group.

A blonde man that was a certain younger version of Dark King Rayleigh and two sixteen years old boys. One had a beanie on and blue hair. The red, clown nose gave him away easily as Buggy the Clown.

The other was wearing a familiar straw hat on his head and underneath, flaming red hair framed an unscarred face. Ace would bet his Devil Fruit that the guy standing next to Buggy was Red Haired Shanks in his cabin boy days on the Oro Jackson.

It was so strange seeing both those notorious- not really in Buggy's case, _but still_ \- pirates so young.

After he had met him, Ace was left with the impression that Shanks, no matter how carefree he behaved and Luffy described him to be, was _very_ dangerous, not to mention powerful and influent. Ace could only hope that he didn't rub on his younger brother too much. Luffy should remain a hopeless idiot for as long as he could. The world could use someone so blunt and honest to the bone like him. So many people needed to be put in their rightful place.

His musings were interrupted when the crowd around him released a sudden gasp as one being. Ace felt like a tremor went through the throngs of people, including him.

 _And it served to bother him_.

From the corner of his eye he saw more people run towards the plaza, some even climbing on the stalls and buildings around the large expanse.

Eyebrow raised but not able to do anything in the cramped space, he took a three-sixty look at the plaza and smirked.

 _Bingo,_ his mind supplied.

Putting on his best scowl coupled with a dark look, the flame user pushed his way towards one of the stalls near the archway opposite to his captain's. It came with a stack of crates that looked resistant enough to be climbed on.

Ace smiled when the view got instantly better. He felt Whitebeard's amused gaze on him, but the raven head was too busy watching the shadows in the distance.

One of them was slowly taking form, and from Ace's approximation, it should be able to dock in less than half an hour.

The flame user almost chocked on his spit when he the light fog cleared and he was able to fully see it. It had an obnoxious lion- _or was that a flower?_ \- serving as its figurehead.

Whatever it was, it was smiling at him and the pirate deemed it too cute to be a pirate ship. But he was once again proved wrong when he saw the main sail and the skull.

 _A skull with a straw hat._

His eyes widened when the possibility entered his mind, but he shook his head. His little brother had only just left Fuchsia Village, he wouldn't be able to find Tokiya so fast. At least Ace hoped he wouldn't.

So then, who could it be? Another pirate crew that took on that Jolly Roger was sure to make Luffy mad. After all, the teen considered the hat he got from Shanks to be his trademark thing.

 _Bad luck-_ Wait.

Why were so many people around the plaza then? Was this pirate crew famous or something?

Surely no one would come look at pirates just because. It made no sense and it was dangerous too. Were all these people idiots to begin with?

Ace wasn't sure about any of those questions, but he knew that whoever those guys were, he'd find out soon enough.

* * *

"Is that my hat?!"

Rayleigh watched the sixteen year old clutch the precious object with all his power, a horrified face staring at the ridiculous designed ship that was slowly approaching the docks.

The First Mate thought it was a joke at first, but the Jolly Roger fluttering in the wind had convinced him that it was really a pirate ship. His eyes glared in the distance, seeing more shadows appear. So they weren't alone?

He conformed to keep an eye on the vessels in the distance, since even his captain looked too absorbed in watching the happy lion approach the island.

" _No_ ," Buggy drawled, rolling his eyes. "It's the Hat Confiscating Corps. They are here to take your hat."

Ignoring his friend's sarcastic comment, Shanks' eyes lifted to Roger.

"Please tell me you didn't steal this." The red head whispered.

Roger cringed, his face becoming a healthy shade of red. "Hell no! That's family treasure kid."

 _How dare the boy suggest such an outrageous thing?!_

"Then I hope your grandpa didn't steal this..." Shanks whispered more to himself.

Buggy snickered and Rayleigh gave a short chuckle.

Roger lifted an eyebrow but let it slide. He was really curious who would be coming on that ship.

"Hey Shanks." Buggy's voice made most of them look at him. "What if that's your pirate ship there?"

The red head grew even more scandalized. " _Hell no_!"

His shout made a few people turn around and stare.

"My ship's going to have a dragon figurehead and that's that!" Even with his volume lowered, his exclamation was still loud.

Buggy snorted and crossed his arms. "As if you could even get a ship."

"What did you-"

* * *

Ben watched the ongoing show with interest, his eyes never straying from the white skull wearing a yellow straw hat with a red stripe. The man was a figure of calm.

Next to him, his captain was surely not.

"What if he was abducted? Or worse?! Is it even _legal_ to be a pirate at seven years old!"

The man's shouting was becoming bothersome and he didn't look like he'd stop soon.

"Gah, I shouldn't have given him that hat!" Shanks slapped his hands over his eyes, face a mask of horror and pain.

 _Makino's gonna kill me!_

"Calm down cap'. He's coming from sixteen years in the future."

Ben's words seemed to somewhat calm the man down. The raven haired pirate felt a strong arm slap his shoulder and remain there. Shanks tightened his grip a notch, giving his First Mate a serious look.

"I am not ready for this step yet, Benny."

A foot in his shin was the only answer he was getting.

Ben shook his head in exasperation. The stupid idiot.

* * *

The minutes ticked by awfully slow, but finally, the lion ship docked with the help of some locals.

Ace watched a couple of other citizens push the crowd back, trying to make way.

 _For what? Actually, the better question would be, for_ _ **who**_?

His question was answered when a random guy, who looked to be a pirate, if one judged by the clothes he was wearing, shouted angrily, mostly for the people that refused to back away, but everyone gathered in the plaza heard his words anyway.

"THE PIRATE KING IS HERE. EVERYONE GET BACK!"

Ace froze when he heard those words. Something told him that whatever the guy had shouted must have been the truth, though he was really confused now. His head turned reflexively to look at Whitebeard and his _father_. The taller man did not look perturbed, unlike Roger, who looked ready to board the ship himself and see what everything was about. Ace was almost tempted to follow him.

He spied Rayleigh and his raised eyebrows, and the two teens next to him, each displaying various shocked expressions. Buggy's mouth was even hanging open. Talk about shocking news.

The people who have been shouted at seemed to believe the random guy since they cleared the street pretty well. There was now a thin stripe of a way that extended until the larger archway that was the main exit of the plaza, between the smaller entrance the old man and Roger were standing in and the one where he was standing in front of, in the middle of the line of stalls.

The roar of the square calmed down after a few minutes, all gazes stuck on the ship, waiting for someone, _anyone_ to disembark.

The ghost of a laugh shushed the entire area. Every soul was listening closely for any other sound coming from the ship. After a few tense seconds, a series of footsteps echoed through the air.

Ace was just about to call it a stupid waste of time, but did not have the chance to do so because the next couple of moments were some of the most shocking in his life as he would later come to describe them.

His black eyes watched a middle sized man exit the ship followed by three people. He wore a black, long coat with furry, golden cuffs and golden clasps. Underneath that, the man wore a simple red vest and short, dark blue trousers and, strangely, slippers. The man was holding his straw hat from being taken away by the strong marine breeze, successfully shielding his face.

Ace cringed when he saw the angry red scar spreading across his chest in the shape of a X. The fire user was certain he didn't want to know its backstory.

His eyes shifted to study his three companions and was surprised to see _the_ Roronoa Zoro walking behind the man, arms crossed and a bored expression on his face. One of his eyes had a scar line over it, so the pirate presumed it was unusable. On the other side of the 'Pirate King' was a blond haired guy, dressed in a black suit, casually smoking a cigarette. The last person behind them was a beautiful, black haired woman, dressed in a long skirt and jacket. Her blue eyes scrutinized the gathering before them with a light of amusement.

Ace almost snorted. These people did not look too grand to him. Just what was with that guy saying the Pirate King was there and so on. If he was going to be honest with himself, Ace would certainly confess that his main concern now was whether that man proved to be his younger brother or not. The thought of Luffy achieving his dream was both amazing and it brought a proud smile on his face just thinking about it. But at the same time, the second division commander hoped his guess proved to be wrong. He wanted to be there when Luffy achieved his dream and that was that.

 _Still, it wouldn't hurt to watch a little longer._

* * *

Ben Beckman wanted nothing more than to punch his captain in the face. He'd be forced to do so if the red head wouldn't stop shaking him by the scruff of his T-shirt. It was becoming irritating, along with his continuous mumbling.

"Oh my god, that is Luffy! Benny tell me I'm not dreaming, was that guy for real when he said-"

An elbow to the gut stopped him short. "Calm down already cap'. I swear, you've been a mess of emotions since we got here. That's it, no more supernatural islands for you."

The First Mate exhaled the smoke from his cigarette, his eyes never leaving the straw hat wearer in favor of ignoring his still muttering captain.

* * *

"Is that the Pirate King? He doesn't look like much." Buggy looked on in curiosity at the quartet. Next to him Shanks nodded, one hand still standing protectively on his hat.

"That kid has my straw hat too, what the hell is this, some family treasure?" Roger scowled.

Rayleigh stifled a chuckle at the irony and Whitebeard laughed.

A sharp pain got Roger cursing the Fates and more. He looked down to see Shanks' pouting face.

"That was the worst lie you've ever made captain."

The infamous pirate could only continue swearing under his breath.

* * *

" _Long time no see, Strawhat Luffy._ "

Heads snapped left and right, looking for the source of the voice. In Ace's case, his eyes were glued on said man and his mouth was almost agape.

 _So I was right!_

He wasn't sure if he should feel good or bad about that.

Luffy grinned, lifting his hat up. His face has not changed a bit, from the obnoxious wide grin to the scar under his left eye.

"It wouldn't have been, if you bothered your ass to visit us."

 _Even his voice is almost the same!_ Ace shouted inside his mind. It was still pretty light, but the signs of maturity were visible.

The bodiless voice made a sound like a choke, obviously miffed by Luffy's words.

The raven haired captain looked around and crossed his arms over his chest. "You should come out already, we ain't gonna bite."

His black gaze stopped on a point above the main, large archway and he grinned. His three companions were also smiling as they watched the figure sitting there shift his hat more comfortably on his head.

Ace turned his head, along with everyone else standing in that damn plaza, and he almost gasped when he saw a guy standing on top of the concrete. What the hell was he doing there, was beyond him.

 _Trying to be cool, huh._

The man had a black top hat and long jacket. From under the hat, blonde locks moved along with the wind. Squinting his eyes better, the fire user saw that there was a pair of something blue over the band and a white, long pipe strapped on his back.

It took Ace a couple of seconds to make the connections, but when his brain finally finished loading the information, his heart almost stopped.

* * *

"Who the fuck's that?" Buggy's dirty mouth was rewarded with a fist upside the head courtesy of Shanks.

Both boys glared at each other, before their blonde babysitter stepped in between them. Rayleigh did not offer any words, his attention completely on the scene in front of them.

"I'm not really sure about that, considering the fleet on your back." The blonde guy said.

Roger whistled and even Whitebeard looked surprised by the appearance. Shanks' eyebrows were raised almost to his hairline as he gazed over the crowd, towards the sea. There were _tons_ of ships floating behind the happy lion one.

They were not intending to dock, it seemed. The red haired boy spied the same Jolly Roger flying on all of their masts. So they were part of this guys' fleet or something.

The straw hat wearing guy laughed. "That's not for you. So why did you call me here for?"

Buggy squinted and caught the narrowing eyes of the blonde guy.

"I'm sure Robin's told you. The Revolutionary Army intends to strike a deal with the Strawhat Pirates." The guy perched on top of the archway spoke more formally than a moment ago.

The Pirate King scratched his chin, looking to be considering it. "Nah, no thanks."

His answer shocked the crowd more than it did the blonde guy. Buggy silently asked himself why.

"I did expect that." He commented blandly, causing the black haired woman to burst out laughing. "Well, no harm done. I'll be receiving your prisoner." The man continued nonchalantly.

Rayleigh had to take a moment and ask himself _why_ was that revolutionary so casual to the Pirate King's refusal. It would have given the Revolutionary Army a sure advantage considering the fleet floating on the sea in front of them. The man looked to be close to the captain, too.

 _So many questions without answer._

* * *

Ben watched along with his captain the talk between the two.

"Not sure who that guy is, but you should stop struggling cap'."

Shanks glared at his second in command. "I just wanna go there and say hi." The red haired man spoke deliberately slow, making the black haired man holding him roll his eyes.

"I'm sure you can do that after this. Aren't you even a little curious?"

The question seemed to calm Shanks down a little bit.

"Oh yeah, Iva said something about this." Luffy scratched his head as he tried to remember. He turned around in the direction of his ship, but two people had already descended from the deck and were walking towards them.

A chained, white skinned, long haired man with a coat that spelled GAS on both sides was being half dragged half hauled by a long nosed guy wearing a sun hat, a strange slingshot strapped on his back.

"Is that...?" Ben whispered as his eyes took in the black hair and face, mind clearly recalling their own sniper's continuous stories about his seven year old son.

"Man, Yasopp would have burst a vein seeing this." Shanks whispered back.

"Already on it, captain." A new, deadpan tone made them both jump a little in surprise. They turned to look a Yasopp's proud face and decided to leave the questions for later.

"Goddammit Strawhat, after you kidnap and drag me through all the New World, you finally decide to have some mercy!" The gas guy shouted, more irritated than desperate and the Red Haired Pirates had to ask themselves why.

Luffy laughed, pointing at him. "It's fine, I know you didn't mind."

"Like hell I didn't!"

"You were a pretty good guy in the end. Don't worry, me and Law will visit you."

"Move it Caesar, we don't have all day." Zoro growled as he crossed his arms.

Most of the people in the crowd took half a step back. Shockingly, Caesar just glared at the swordsman.

"Shut up you idiot. You're half the reason I hate all of you."

Usopp tugged at his chains harder, making him move faster. The blonde haired revolutionary dropped down from the archway, ready to receive the man.

Now that he was down, Shanks could see his features more clearly. The corners of his mouth dropped when he saw the angry scar over his left eye.

A sudden cannon sound from the direction of the sea made all of the newcomers stop dead in their tracks.

* * *

Ace could not believe his eyes and he was half intending to conclude that he was dreaming. After Sabo dropped to the ground, the fire user realized with startling clarity that it _was_ indeed his long lost brother, alive and healthy.

 _How and why hadn't he contacted us?!_

It did not help that Luffy seemed totally unfazed by the apparition, meaning that he had known for a long time. Their earlier conversation proved his point. Did that mean that Ace's future self knew as well? _Where_ was he?

The gas guy's words were enough to get himself in a frenzy about the stupid things his younger brother was running around doing.

And _Pirate King_?!

Ace had to physically stop himself from dashing between them and demand answers.

The sudden boom that shook the plaza was enough distraction from his overreacting imagination. Ace looked back to the ships, watching as a trail of smoke erupted in the distance and yells began.

He saw Luffy look back, his head cocked to the side in question. Taking this opportunity, a blonde haired woman, probably a revolutionary too, snatched the white guy's chains from long nose's hands, hurryingly dragging the cursing guy away. A fishman stepped up from the crowd, taking his place behind Sabo, who had an eyebrow raised and arms crossed over his chest.

"Luffy, ships are coming!" A shrill voice spoke from near the main mast.

Ace's jaw dropped when he saw a small raccoon with a spyglass. The creature turned its round head around to lock wide, innocent eyes on his captain and the fire user did a double take. On second thought, it looked like a raccoon with antlers.

 _Maybe a reindeer?_

He decided to leave that question for later.

"Captain we have a situation." A huffing, orange haired woman appeared at the railing of the ship, her brown eyes wide in agitation.

"Eh? What's going on Nami?" His little brother looked as clueless as ever and Ace almost sighed in relief when he saw that, but a part of him remained incredulous all the same.

The woman, Nami, hesitated for a moment, before turning her head toward the deck.

"Brook, can you-"

The flame user almost took a step back, an action which would have caused him to fall from the stack of unstable crates he was standing on. Next to the woman stepped up a _fucking walking skeleton._

 _How the hell is this even remotely possible?! Just what kind of people has my little brother in his crew?!_

Ace decided that if it wasn't a Devil Fruit involved he would drop piracy and go pray the skeleton war won't overcome the world.

The skeleton guy- _that had an afro to boot!-_ wiped out his violin and began to play a lullaby song that almost made the fire user drop to sleep if not for his quick reflex of covering his ears. From the corners of his eyes he saw the old man and his group do the same, Buggy already half snoring.

One by one, the people in the plaza dropped, all of them sleeping soundly on the ground. Ace almost cursed. Besides the fact that he was a skeleton, now he could make people sleep with a song?! That guy was dangerous.

His black gaze went to Luffy and Ace burst out laughing. His little brother was sleeping soundly, a snot bubble forming when he snored. Sabo had seized him by the shoulders, trying to get him to wake up. Behind the two, Luffy's companions were shaking their heads in amusement and exasperation.

* * *

Rayleigh watched through narrowed eyes as everyone in the plaza, who hadn't been fast enough to cover their ears, fell asleep. The apparition of the skeleton had been surprising enough, now the guy could make a whole island drop down snoring.

"The hell was that?!" Buggy yelped, awakened by Shanks. The clown had on a horrified face, clearly not knowing what was happening.

"Well this is certainly interesting." Roger muttered, arms crossed over his chest. Whitebeard gave him a look of mutual agreement before his eyes lifted again to the circus in the middle of the plaza.

The Pirate King startled awake and began speaking like nothing happened.

"Franky, how fast can we get out of here?"

A man with unnatural shoulders, not to mention body proportions, stepped closer to the edge of the deck. His hair was shaped in a strange cannon form and his mouth stretched into a wide grin. His metal nose and sunglasses glinted in the stray sunrays that managed to escape between the heavy clouds, adding an even more ominous feeling to the surrounding area.

"If we _Coup de Burst_ then almost in a second, bro."

The long nosed guy lifted an eyebrow. "You finished modifying all the ships?"

His question made Franky's grin take on a proud undertone.

"You bet I did."

"Good," the raven haired pirate mirrored his grin with one of his own, "then let's-"

"STRAWHAT!"

Gazes shifted to another vessel, floating along the edge of the plaza, along the shore. A blonde haired man wearing a black feathered hat and a white and purple overcoat, had one foot on the railing of his ship, face turned into a scowl.

"What's up Cabbage?"

Shanks and Buggy both laughed at hearing the ridiculous name.

"Stop calling me that!" The man's scowl stretched even more, if that was possible. "Whatever the hell you planned is not gonna work. Buggy's ships are already here."

The younger clown in question chocked on his spit. His captain, vice captain and crewmate, not to mention the second most powerful man in the world and his first division commander, were all looking at him in concern and wonder.

Buggy tried to smirk, puffing his chest. "O-Of course I will become a great pirate!"

Shanks tried, but couldn't find it in him to congratulate his friend. "I bet you're a really crappy one."

Ignoring the curses of the clown, the red head turned his attention back to the scene.

* * *

Cabbage man looked to be at the edge of his patience, hands clenching and unclenching in the hope they could kill someone.

The captain of the Red Haired Pirates almost laughed. He was glad to know his former crewmate on the Oro Jackson was doing well, not to mention helping Luffy!

 _Or not?_

But what the red haired man really wanted to know was where he was in all this. Was he dead, or was he on an amazing adventure?

His musings were interrupted by Luffy.

"Ah." The guy did not look too concerned and Shanks was almost nostalgic. The kid did not change almost one bit. Though there was a stronger, more commanding aura around him that screamed danger. "So what? Where's Barto?"

The blonde guy gritted his teeth. Ben could relate to what he was probably feeling right now.

"He just fucking came back, that's why I'm here trying to tell you what he reported. Shut the hell up already and listen, you straw hat wearing idiot!"

" _Whoo_ , that was a burn right there." Yasopp whispered from behind them.

Shanks shook his head, asking himself if that was really how someone's subordinate should speak. But then again, this is Luffy.

The raven head opened his mouth again to retaliate, but closed it shut with a snap when he saw the murderous look his friend was throwing him.

"Kaido is on to us. We've got to get outta here, the guys are not ready."

Now _that_ was a shock.

"Why is Luffy battling with Kaido?!" Shanks exclaimed, a look of pure horror passing over his face.

His First Mate chuckled, impressed by the man's feat and courage. Yasopp was even prouder of his son.

* * *

Ace almost had a heart attack. His precious little brother was battling with the _King of Beasts Kaido_ and he did not look at least half scared of how he should be, not to mention his _scandalized_ face.

"No way!" Luffy shouted, arms up and looking for all intents and purposes like a six year old.

Ace should have expected it.

"If he's coming here, then we're fighting him!"

Roronoa Zoro and the blonde guy looked like they couldn't wait for the upcoming battle. Long nose was half terrified, half mortified-not a healthy combination-and the black haired woman, that his brain finally identified as Nico Robin, smiled, clearly not minding her captain's plans.

Nami groaned and that Franky guy made a dubious pose with his hands forming a star. The skeleton-who Ace resolved to keep an eye on from now on-released a strange sound that seemed to be close to laughter.

'Cabbage' was suddenly calm, his face blank.

"If you're not gonna let yourself be convinced, then I'm sure your Yonko will."

Luffy froze and Ace gaped. _Now the Yonko were coming?! What the hell was this?_

Sabo draped a hand over Luffy's shoulder. "You sure you wanna risk that, little bro?"

The straw hat wearer grimaced, but did not move from his spot, nor opened his mouth to speak, resuming to remain in mutinous silence.

On the lion ship, Nami was shouting orders.

"Prepare the Sunny for evasive measures. All hands on deck!"

"The fuel for the _Coup de Burst_ is ready!" The cyan haired guy shouted, running to the helm.

"Luffy what are you doing, let's go!" Zoro watched his captain shift in place, looking like a kicked puppy. The swordsman rolled his eyes.

Ace was not sure what _Coup de_ _whatever_ was, but he was surprised to see them so alarmed over the fact that the Yonko were coming. Shouldn't the Pirate King be more powerful than them? Not to mention he had a fucking _fleet_.

" _Ahhh_ ," Sabo drawled morosely, throwing his head back to gaze at the sky. "Dragon-san is gonna kill me for not convincing you to ally with us... again."

Luffy raised an eyebrow at his words. "Tell dad to tell me if you guys need help and we'll come. I'm not gonna ally myself with the Revolutionary Army for nothing. Iva-chan said that he'll say if something happens."

The statement surprised both older brothers.

"Oh." The blonde beside him did not know what else to say so he burst out laughing. "Man, even after you found Raftel, you're as reckless as ever." He tousled his hair affectionately.

Luffy pouted. "Why is everyone saying that?"

Nostalgia and pain of not being there with his brothers exploded in Ace's chest. Damn, he wanted to go and give them a hug at least, before they left the island.

"Good question, _Anchor_." A new voice laughed, snapping everyone's attention.

A considerable lower number of eyes looked back again to the ocean and saw three new ships, unseen until then closeness the shore, their decks full of pirates.

* * *

"Is that our ship Benny?" Shanks scratched his chin, looking at the exact replica in curiosity.

The black haired man released a long, suffering sigh. "Aye, cap'."

"Nice."

* * *

"See! That kind of dragon I am talking about!"

Rayleigh looked at the cabin boy with a smile on his face. Something was telling him the red head will get a ship like that one day.

Strawhat's face broke into a smile and he started waving.

"Didn't think you'd come too."

* * *

Shanks placed his hand on his most recent wound and held back a grimace. It was pulsing with pain and he wondered why.

Now that he looked better, next to his ship was a yellow submarine. That was new. On the other side was a well known whale shaped ship that caused his eyes widen. The last ship to dock was a skull headed ship.

Four forms jumped from each vessel and onto the concrete ground.

* * *

"What are you talking about, I'm hurt to hear you say that." Shanks grinned as he walked toward the Pirate King.

On his left, Law rolled his eyes while Marco had an amused smile on his right side. Next to him, Kidd looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"What are you guys doing here?"

Ace saw Luffy's friends return to the ship, with the exception of Roronoa. The green haired man stood behind his captain, glaring at the four.

"Obviously saving your ass." The guy with the white cap said, scowling at him.

"We heard you kids were aimlessly floating around with an entire _fleet,_ so we thought we should just come check up on you." Marco crossed his arms, clearly conveying the message that the Pirate King should explain himself.

Luffy pouted again, his lower lip sticking out, just like it did when he was scolded. Suddenly, his face was all innocent and he pointed to the numerous ships on the horizon.

"These guys wouldn't leave us alone."

Marco slapped a palm over his face for good measure, Shanks burst out laughing and Kidd cursed everyone in the general area for dragging him around for nothing. Law was shaking his head slowly, clearly not prepared for this kind of answer, despite his _experience_ with the Strawhat crew and their crazy captain.

How Strawhat Luffy became Pirate King was still above him.

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?!" The captain of the Kidd pirates almost strangled the smaller man. He had to physically stop himself, remembering Killer's words.

 _"Kidd, the Pirate King is always an idiot. The Yonko's job is to keep him in line. Try to not kill him while you are at it."_

 _Though thing to even try considering._

"Sabo said he'd take care of Caesar." Suddenly, the raven head frowned. "I'm not seven, I can take care of myself. Why are still you following us?"

This actually took them by surprise.

"Strawhat-ya." Law began, hands going into the pockets of his coat. "You are the Pirate King."

His statement made Luffy even more confused.

"You said that the Pirate King is the freest man on the sea." The doctor continued, not giving his former ally time to counter his words. "Unfortunately this is not how the world works."

"We are losing time, Torao. If you've got anything to say then just say it." Zoro growled, his only eye narrowing on the man.

"You kids just continue doing what you want." Marco said, placing a hand on Law's shoulder. The doctor and Kidd looked back at him in disbelief. "We'll continue cleaning after you, that's what we are here for."

Both younger men wanted to tell him that they really weren't there to fucking babysit them all, but a look from the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates informed them that it was no use arguing anymore. If Luffy wanted to do something he'd do it, rules and laws forgone. That was what made him stand up above all the other pirates on the vast seas.

"You better fly outta here, kid." Shanks spoke, breaking the silence. "Kaido's going at full speed. Now that I think about it, kicking Jack's ass wasn't such a genius idea."

The red head laughed when he saw the look on the younger pirates' faces. The swordsman and his captain certainly didn't agree with him.

* * *

Ace watched Roronoa jog back to the ship, though his mind was on something else completely. His little brother was amazing- _amazingly_ _crazy_ , if Red Hair's words were true.

Not to mention Marco's appearance had certainly shocked him. The fire user was pretty sure his fellow commander wasn't planning on making his own pirate crew at the moment, so that left only one other, grim possibility. The old man was dead. The notion left an acrid taste in Ace's mouth.

Stealing a look at the group under the archway, the raven head knew he wasn't the only one. The Marco from his time had a pretty tight face, fists clenched at his sides. On the other hand, Whitebeard was smiling proudly at his son's achievement.

Roger looked on, amused at the display and clearly not his business whatever happened, so the former Pirate King was pretty relaxed. Next to him, Rayleigh tried to calm down two arguing cabin boys.

Sixteen years old Shanks was displaying the smuggest grin possible on his face, clearly teasing the hell out of Buggy and the clown could only respond with curses and fists.

A small commotion attracted his attention. From his spot on the right side of the main exit, Ace saw a couple of stalls away, standing in ones' shadow, another, _older_ Akagami no Shanks that was displaying the _same smug face_ to his exasperated subordinates. Ace saw a black haired Ben Beckman hit his captain upside the head in a gesture to make him shut up already. It did not work very well.

"Yo."

Ace's head snapped toward the source of the voice and found himself nose to nose with Luffy. Yelping, the fire user lost his balance, but his little brother was fast to snatch his hand and help him jump away from the falling stack of crates. Ace grinned sheepishly.

"You caught me." He scratched the back of his head reflexively.

Thin, strong arms seized him in a tight hug and he smiled at Luffy's suddenly small form. He felt a hand being draped over his shoulders and his eyes met Sabo's.

"It's been a long time, Ace." His voice was soft, yet happy.

Despite his irritation and questions for the blonde, especially on the topic of _why_ he didn't contact them, the commander's smile widened.

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you both are doing well."

"More or less." Sabo grinned, eyeing Luffy's unmoving form pointedly.

Ace snorted and replied. "I think he's doing the best out of all of us."

A passing look of pain crossed the revolutionary's face, but Ace didn't ask. He'd seen enough of the future already.

"Make sure you take care of Luffy, Sabo."

His whispered words took Sabo by surprise, but he grinned and nodded.

All of a sudden, Luffy's head was up and he was frowning at them. "I don't need to be taken care of!"

Both brothers laughed and Ace spoke teasingly.

"Keep telling yourself that, little brother."

* * *

"Nice hat you got there kid."

Luffy lifted his head yet again from Ace's chest to gaze at the man that addressed them. Hesitantly, he disentangled himself from his brother's arms and adjusted said hat on his head just as it was about to fall.

Jet black eyes locked with equally black ones. The raven haired man that stood in front of him had an outrageous looking moustache which Luffy was fast to point out.

"You got a strange moustache, old man."

Roger laughed at his words while the people around them gasped at the words. Ace had an amused look on his face, but Sabo did not.

"Luffy, do you know who this is?" The blonde looked at his younger brother questioningly. Luffy shook his head.

Sabo sighed. "This is Gol D. Roger. The former Pirate King."

Said man's eye twitched when he heard the title, but he supposed it was only fair. He _was_ the former Pirate King as of... in the future. Deciding to stop thinking about it, his eyes returned to the subject of his consternation.

"Who gave you that hat, boy?" Roger watched the kid's eyes narrow slightly, before a wide grin stretched across his face.

"Shanks did. A long time ago."

His answer only served to shock the older man more.

"Wait! You're the Pirate King!" Luffy's sudden shout almost made the people around him jump. The raven head held up a finger pointed in his direction, large eyes sparkling in admiration.

"Awesome! How come you're alive?"

The captain of the Roger Pirates sighed. It seemed the kid was a thick headed idiot.

"Oi, don't insult my little brother." Ace glared at the man, who lifted an eyebrow in surprise.

So the kid had two brothers. And one of them was looking ready to slaughter him. What had he done wrong?

"That means you know old man Rayleigh too, right?"

The next question further served to surprise him and he snickered at the nickname. Roger got himself a fist over the head for his efforts, courtesy of his First Mate.

"I'm not _old_." Rayleigh felt the need to defend his age as he glared at the younger Pirate King.

Luffy released a sound between wonder and awe. "Woah, you were really blonde! So Shakky didn't lie."

Rayleigh's brow twitched, but a sudden tug at the hand keeping Shanks' T-shirt in a safe lock distracted his attention away from the kid for a second.

Sixteen years old Shanks was currently glaring full force at the next Pirate King, a hand still carefully protecting his precious straw hat. "I dunno what you did to my future self," the boy murmured, eyes narrowed, making Luffy blink, "but I ain't gonna give you this hat, you understand?!"

Buggy rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He had his own questions to ask the raven haired pirate standing in front of them. The guy looked confused and Buggy could partly understand that.

"Oi, do I become a powerful pirate?"

Luffy squinted his eyes, stepping unnervingly close to the two cabin boys. He studied them for a few moments, before his grin was back full force. Buggy didn't know how it was possible for someone to stretch their face so much.

"Man, you're really Buggy! You look really funny!"

"What's that supposed to mean?! Answer me!"

Unfortunately, Luffy's attention was on somebody else at the moment. " _Woah_ , you're here too, old man Whitebeard!"

Ace was surprised to hear that his little brother knew his captain. "How do you know him Lu?"

The Pirate King's face instantly darkened, making everyone in the general area tense. But then, he was smiling again.

"Long story, but he's a good guy. _Shishishi._ "

Hesitantly accepting the bypassed subject of conversation, Ace opened his mouth to ask about Sabo and his whereabouts for the last decade, when the Shanks who had been hiding behind the stall a couple of meters away from his stepped into their line of sight.

Sixteen years old Shanks yelped.

"Never thought Anchor's gonna become such a great pirate, boys." The grinning man walked towards them, arm open, addressing his First Mate and sniper that were just behind him. His words made Luffy pout, but he turned around to fully face Shanks.

" _I told you_ I was gonna-" The raven head began, but a hand on his head halted him in the middle of the sentence.

Shanks' grin widened as he patted the worn straw hat on his head. "I knew you were gonna make it."

Ben nodded, a smile on his face and arms crossed. Next to him, Yasopp grinned too, though his eyes were looking in the direction of the lion ship longingly.

Understanding who he was looking for, Luffy gestured to the Sunny. "You wanna see Usopp? He's on the deck, I think..."

Yasopp shook his head gently. "As much as I'd want, I will have to refuse your offer. Give him my regards, though."

Luffy nodded sadly, but he understood the reasoning. He was about to speak again when Zoro shouted from the Sunny's railing.

"Captain, we have company."

Everyone in the group watched as another fleet of ships started taking form on the horizon, the vessels only a shadow at the moment.

"Sabo, we're getting out of here." The blonde haired woman that had taken the gas guy earlier was back, her face tight and gaze studying the approaching ships worriedly.

Giving his little brother a pat on the back and Ace a tight hug, Sabo turned around to follow after her.

"We'll see each other again in the New World, Luffy."

The Pirate King nodded his head, mouth pressed in a tight line. He did not want to leave, but there was no other choice. Swallowing back the words that he so desperately wanted to tell Ace about the future, about the war, about _everything_ , he gave him another tight hug, before running to the Sunny.

Aboard the lion headed ship, preparations were currently underway, the crew in a frenzy over the entire deck.

Ace watched with a sad smile as his little brother catapulted himself to his ship's deck, shouting something that should have been an order, but the fire user was sure it was probably something about food since the orange haired woman knocked him over the head.

A loud _boom_ echoed in the distance and Ace had to blink when he saw a ship fly into the sky, disappearing in the fog and clouds above the island.

"What's the status, Franky?" Nami's shout was heard from the slowly departing ship.

The cyan haired man rotated the helm another thirty degrees before answering. "I've loaded the Cola pump to the max, sis. But we have to get closer to the edge of the Magnetic Field of the Island for it to be effective."

The woman's swear words were lost to the wind.

Ignoring the Cola part- _how the hell was a pump of all things functioning with Cola?-_ Ace watched some more ships disappear in the same manner as the first one and he grudgingly admitted that he was really confused. They all looked like they were firing some kind of cannon, but it was really a strange sight.

"Such bizarre technology." Rayleigh's muttered statement was heard by everyone in the close vicinity.

The substantial group of pirates watched as the happy designed ship sailed at full speed across the furious waters.

"It looks like it's gonna rain." Ben Beckman cast a look at the grey heavens and sighed tiredly.

The sudden sound of a cannonball launched made Ace look toward Luffy's ship again. It did not look like there was damage, so it must have been a warning shot or a miss. The second division commander's eyes slid to the side, widening when he saw one of the former distant ships close in on the lion headed one, its design fully giving it away, if not the obvious Jolly Roger flying on the main mast had done before that.

"That's Kaido, right?" Roger crossed his arms, his eyes narrowed on the monstrous ship. Compared to the current Pirate King's, it was definitely bigger in size, even shadowing it.

"Yeah." Law's answer made most of the legendary pirates jump. The doctor snorted. Nice feeling knowing they were forgotten.

"You still here, future me?" Shanks grinned at his older self and the man grinned right back, laughing at Ben's horrified face and groan.

"He found himself." The black haired man shook his head exasperated.

"What, sad I got myself a friend, Benny?" The Yonko laughed good-naturedly. "That's why you got yourself premature grey hair."

"Isn't it sad that he has his own self as a friend?" Yasopp joked, earning a few laughs.

In spite of the joke, Ben had a scandalized look on his face. He touched his precious hair almost hesitantly, cigarette dropping from his mouth in shock.

"You didn't." His eyes narrowed on his captain, making the man grin sheepishly.

"Aw, c'mon, y'know I wouldn't."

The black haired man did not seem to care about his answer. Pistol drawn, he made a motion for the man to shut up.

"Thanks for the info."

Future Shanks looked mortified at seeing such thing happen and his past self gave him a good glare for the slip.

Sixteen years old Shanks looked on confused, but decided to keep his mouth shut. The events currently happening here were exceeding his mental capacities at the moment.

"You fucked up." Shanks would have said more if the booming didn't become insufferable.

The now awake people in the plaza watched uneasily as the battle continued on the restless waves, far away from the island's shore.

The lion headed ship was keeping up its lead, but Kaido's vessel had almost caught up with them and it looked like it was aiming to cut their way.

Ace gasped when he saw that they were folding up the sails, the speed of the ship visibly decreasing with the absence of the wind. His jaw fell and he had to ask himself, what were those guys _doing_?!

A couple of minutes and a flurry of cannonballs later, Kaido's ship had caught up with them and was currently blocking their way. By now, all the ships in the Strawhats' fleet had disappeared in the same flying manner as all the others.

Ace swore under his breath and saw from the corner of his eyes young Shanks, his captain, Rayleigh and Roger looking on with interest at the show. Sixteen years old Shanks had on a worried face, while Buggy tried his best to remain impassive.

Squinting his eyes, Ace saw a figure step onto the lion figurehead, throwing its hands into the air. His shout was heard clearly even from the notable distance, serving as confirmation for the second division commander that it was indeed his little brother.

"LAUNCH THE GAON CANNON!"

The gibberish Luffy said was lost on Ace, since he did not know what 'Gaon' was, but he supposed it was some type of gun or, as the name implied, cannon to attack Kaido's ship. While the fire user firmly believed that attacking the Yonko would be a bad deal, he supposed there was nothing to be done in this situation. A sudden thought struck him and his eyes locked on future Marco's bored form.

"Wait, isn't Kaido a Yonko too?"

His question gathered everyone's attention to himself, before they all looked to the four _Yonko_ questioningly.

"Not anymore." Law shook his head.

"Strawhat Luffy made sure of it." Marco snorted, crossing his arms. His eyes watched the battle unfold with newfound interest and it made Ace look back as well, just in time.

The fire user wasn't sure what had happened, but some kind of light emerged from the front of the ship, hitting Kaido's one cleanly through the hull. The vessel looked badly damaged, but not yet sunken.

"Kaido's getting desperate." The red haired Yonko snorted, eyes narrowing on the battle in front of them.

The back of the lion ship suddenly lighted up too, looking like it might explode. And it did, but instead of hitting anything, or damaging the ship, it served to propel the ship forward with an incredible speed. Luffy's vessel was out of their field of vision in less than ten seconds.

A sudden hush overtook the square for a few moments, before the scowling, violent Yonko exhaled audibly.

"Let's start cleaning so I can get the hell out of here."

The other three nodded resignedly, each departing toward their own ships.

Ace watched all this unfold in front of his eyes, though his mind was not anchored in reality anymore. And it wouldn't be for the next few days.

The events that took place a short time ago felt like a dream, but in truth, Ace had really lived them. He had really seen his little brother, happy, living his dream and with a fleet to boot. And he had seen Sabo, too. Part of the Revolutionary Army, a high ranked officer, but more importantly, alive and healthy as well. He had also seen a piece of the future and the past that he'd never forget.

Ace didn't tell Roger who he was, but the flame user did not feel the need to. In his opinion, that's how it should be, if it had happened like this the first time. There was no need to needlessly change the past and the future. After what he had seen, Ace knew that he'd never dream about it. If his brothers were happy, then so was he, wherever he was or wasn't.

In spite of his nagging curiosity, the second division commander resolved to stifle such impending questions to the back of his mind. He did not need the information. He'll find out when it'll happen.

When Ace realized it, he decided that this was the best and most mature way to go about things and the flame user supposed he should let everything as it was for now and return to his own reality.

As Tokiya Archipelago's motto taught, _"_ _Whatever happens on this island, where the axes of time and space crisscross each other, remains on the island."_

And as time would pass by, its former visitors will slowly lose their memory of spending such time there. The continuously moving Archipelago has always been the subject of many controversial situations in the past, but up to this day it still served as the one and only place where one could find the pieces of one's self that were scattered throughout time and space again and, if willing, unite them, even if only for a little while. Because the Tokiya Archipelago only appears randomly, one should take the opportunity to visit it or risk to never encounter the mysterious islands again during his or her lifetime.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Of course I wrote a time travel fanfiction with OP**

 **Such a wild ride o3o**

 **I remember the time when I said Shanks had to be taken in small doses... *takes bucket full of red haired pirate captains and throws them around* here you go**

 **No but seriously, I hope this doesn't goes down to breaking time travel rules xD Though it should have, but I hope I reasoned enough why nothing happens**

 **I also took a lot of liberties in assuming things (like the future Yonko - if there'll be future ones - and yeah, the assuming is mostly around the Yonko and their jobs Owo)**

 **This is definitely a wild plot bunny so** **I hope no one gets confused, tho if you have questions feel free to ask!**

 **Don't you just love my disabled sense of naming things? Sarcasm intended xD**

 **(Toki=time/clock...** **The -ya at the end is used (among other things!) for shops or places that sell something, so let's let the reason for this name remain poetical :'D )**

 **This was staying finished on my desktop so I decided to just post it already**

 **Tell me what you think!**

 **Reviews and Feedback are loved! :D**


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